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Posts: 187
Location: West Metro, MN | Emails have been sent. Thank you to all who are reaching out to our legislators on this. My kid's future musky fishing adventures appreciate your support!! |
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Posts: 785
| Here's mine, hope it helps
Dear representatives,
I am writing to express my concerns for bill HF3207. While I do realize the interest in those that belong to lake associations to prevent the introduction of muskellunge (or muskies for short) into their local waters, I implore you to consider the broader picture. Lakes are a public entity and do not belong to the property owners who surround them. The increase in popularity of lakes with muskies present may be a nuisance to some but overall it is a tremendous boost to the local economy and adds new recourses for residents and nonresidents alike. Every significant study has proven that muskies do not pose a significant impact to the overall fish community. In fact it is well known that some of the best multi species fisheries in North America have sustained native populations of northern pike and muskies as well. It is also well documented science that muskies have very poor reproductive success and therefore their populations are well regulated through stocking with no risk of overpopulation. The arguments that muskies are invasive is also a poorly thought out argument as many fish species in the state of Minnesota are introduced to lakes as well as their populations being maintained through stocking. Walleyes being the number one most stocked fish species in Minnesota by a large margin. The final argument of muskies being aggressive and potentially attacking people is absurd to the highest degree. As intelligent rational people please do not give validity to such an antiquated claim. Many of the best muskie waters in Minnesota are also some of the most popular swimming and boating destinations and the lack of ANY muskie attacks is proof enough.
I am an out of state tourist and currently have 4 different friends I travel to your state with every year. I spend around 22 days annually in Minnesota pursuing this great fish and have routinely stayed in xxxx, xxxx, xxxx, xxxx, xxxx, xxxx, xxxx, xxxx, xxxx and have also stayed in xxxx and xxxx. I am planning a trip to a resort on a more remote lake as well that is only drawing me because it was stocked with muskies. All dollars being brought into your state only because of the muskellunge program. It is also well known that Minnesota has to this point one of the best muskie programs in the nation and it brings tourism from all over the Midwest, east and even south eastern United States. In fact in recent years many have began traveling to Minnesota instead of Canada due to the quality of the fisheries now present.
I understand you are in a difficult situation, some of you even passionate about this as you feel a threat to your own interests as a lake shore property owner. I also realize the voices of some lake associations have become louder in recent days. However I ask you to do your homework. Before voting to no longer allow stocking of new lakes look up the scientific studies, consider the revenue generated by this fish and the potential for lost tourism, understand Minnesota lakes to belong to the public and finally give recognition to the MN DNR for literally putting your state in the spotlight nationally as one of the best maintained and improved fisheries in the world. A model that has already influenced regulation in other states that are realizing the positive impacts. Please continue doing the tremendous jobs you've been doing and please leave the management of Minnesota's rivers and lakes to the trained and qualified professionals in the DNR who have the data and science to back up their decisions. They have been doing a wonderful job making your state one of the most popular fishing destinations in the country and one that if allowed to continue will draw people like myself for decades to come.
Thank you for your time
Sincerely,
Andy Swinton |
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Posts: 143
| http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/pressrelease.asp?pressid=1...
Here's a letter Mark Anderson wrote regarding the situation and his stance being a owner on gull lake. He states people against musky are overwhelmingly contacting him on the issue. We need to show an overwhelmingly amount of support for muskies and the amount of tax dollars our hobby provides. |
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Posts: 1828
| If Mark feels the state reps and lakeshore owners are better qualified than the DNR to decide if muskie stocking is good or bad, perhaps the DNR and the general public could vote on whether or not we need MNsure. I mean, why let the respective experts have a say? |
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Posts: 1200
Location: Walker, MN | Emails sent. Let's stop this nonsense. |
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Posts: 910
Location: Hastings, mn, 55033 | I agree Sled. These politicians do not have time to read 1000 thesis's on why this is wrong, unfortunate as that may be. What matters most is how many people take time to contact them.
I also think copying and pasting a "form letter" doesn't have the same effect as a few sentences "from the heart" so to speak. Form letters are to easily dismissed as coming from a concentrated group rather than the public at large. Just my opinion.
My emails sent. All friends and family have been notified to please contact these folks as well.
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Posts: 1901
Location: MN | burningdubs - 3/18/2016 12:20 PM
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/pressrelease.asp?pressid=1...
Here's a letter Mark Anderson wrote regarding the situation and his stance being a owner on gull lake. He states people against musky are overwhelmingly contacting him on the issue. We need to show an overwhelmingly amount of support for muskies and the amount of tax dollars our hobby provides.
I get a kick out of the last line of his letter. Pot, meet kettle.
"Let's hope the DNR acknowledges these opinions so our government can start working for taxpayers instead of exerting its will on them."
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Posts: 72
| This out of stater sent an email. It only took about five minutes. Hopefully everyone else will follow suit. |
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Posts: 114
| This is why he is pushing so hard for it. So when he retires he can sit back and spend all of his time fishing gull lake and in his mind not having to compete with musky killing all of his walleyes in the future....... :)....
I could be totally wrong here but hey, this guy has made my blood pressure go up a bit today. (See below)
State Representative Mark Anderson
579 State Office BuildingState Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4293
For more information contact: Chad Urdahl 651-296-5520
Posted: Feb 15 2016 3:02PM Share on:
PRESS RELEASE
Rep. Mark Anderson to retire from House following current term
Edited by bbradley 3/18/2016 2:15 PM
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Posts: 154
Location: MN | I sent a brief message stating that I oppose such legislation. Copied and pasted BNelson rep list and also added my rep Bob Detmer.
I should also add I didn't read most of the letters posted, they were too long.
Edited by Born 3/18/2016 4:17 PM
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Posts: 274
| Emails sent. Another out of stater for Voting "No" on this bill! |
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Posts: 9
Location: Leech Lake | Hadn't logged on for a bit, glad I did, letters have been sent by another out of stater that fishes MN a lot.. |
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Posts: 3136
| Invite these reps to the musky expo in three weeks. State capitol is right down the road from Concordia.
Let them walk in and see the madhouse crowd of kids making muskie lures at Georges tackle shop booth, no better example of the future for this sport. |
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Posts: 121
Location: Forest Lake, MN & Bemidji, MN | Email sent. Thanks for posting all the info in this thread, made it easy. |
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Posts: 73
Location: Minnesota | Copied from another post.....Please contact the additional folks indicated on this email.
Collectively we are powerful and can kill this bill if we all lend a little support to opposing it by taking a few minutes to contact these legislators, committee members and a handful of others. There is absolutely nothing a legislator hates more than controversial bills - especially in an election year - like this year is! We need to give them a reason not to hear the bill or to oppose/kill the bill - this can be done by contacting the following folks.
Please provide them a respectful phone call or email informing them that you oppose the bill (HF 3207) for one or all of the following reasons; (1) you support muskie fishing, stocking and expansion; (2) you support rural resort owners, other small business owners, and economic development in Greater Minnesota; (3) you support the experts at the MN DNR and their scientifically sound approach to managing muskies in the state and you categorically reject the junk science and hysteria being peddled around on this issue; (4) that you are concerned about your rights and will be monitoring the issue; (5) whatever else is important to you.
These are the legislators to whom the bill has been referred to in the House. http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/comm/committeemembers.asp?comm=890...
Please also consider contacting the Speaker of the House Kurt Daudt (651-296-5364, [email protected]); Senate President Tom Bakk (651-296-8881 or email form at http://www.senate.mn/members/member_bio.php?mem_id=1003), and Governor Dayton (800-657-3717 or email form http://mn.gov/governor/contact-us/form/). Don't forget the DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr too at [email protected].
If a companion or similiar bill makes it to the Senate these folks will be hearing it so it may be worth striking early and letting them know you oppose the bill too. Senator Schmit sits on this Committee and Chairs this Committee's Subcomittee on Fish and Wildlife so it's worth ensuring he is contacted.
http://www.senate.mn/committees/committee_members.php?ls=&cmte_id=3...
Again, we can kill this effort if we all stand together and we all take a few minutes out of our busy lives to let the elected officials know we support muskie fishing, the stocking of muskies and the expansion of musky waters in the state and that we are all stand in solidarity in our opposition to this bill (HF 3207). Thank you for any efforts you are willing to lend in this battle for our beloved muskie. |
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Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin | I fish MN, and will also make contact.
I too hope some of my Muskies Inc. dollars assist in making an orchestrated effort to not only thwart this but actively promote the sport/species/advantages of having Muskellunge fisheries, to those in MN government.
Edited by Reef Hawg 3/18/2016 8:45 PM
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Posts: 23
| I'm sure glad that Mark Anderson is doing his personal bidding in the taxpayers dime. I wish these clowns would let the DNR do what they are paid to do, and do their own jobs. The legislature has bigger problems than trying to micromanage the DNR. |
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Posts: 443
Location: Duluth, MN | Emails sent. One to my local rep and copied to all the ones listed.
I can see him opposing the stocking of Gull Lake as any homeowner has the right to voice an opinion but to shut down the entire system is ridiculous. |
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Posts: 1901
Location: MN | Couple things. Spent the last hour or two talking to Brad Hoppe. He doesn't guide the "Swedes" any more but they still come over every year, a couple of them come 4-6 times a year. Strictly for the muskie fishing. Even if he can't get hold of them to write a personal note he'll go over some of the details and estimate all the money they have spent and spend and we'll send that to a few key people.
On another front, my daughter's friend works for a couple reps at the capitol. Rep Lueck is the vice chair of the outdoor recreation committee. She also does stuff for the majority whip. She says they will both have influence in the process for this bill, and she has their ear. Lueck opposes this bill.
She says many of the reps have a concern and mistrust of the DNR, probably because of Mille Lacs walleye situation. But she said they have received a ton of push back on this bill and it's bothering some. She'll have more for me on Monday
Edited by Propster 3/18/2016 11:03 PM
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Propster - 3/18/2016 11:01 PM
Couple things. Spent the last hour or two talking to Brad Hoppe. He doesn't guide the "Swedes" any more but they still come over every year, a couple of them come 4-6 times a year. Strictly for the muskie fishing. Even if he can't get hold of them to write a personal note he'll go over some of the details and estimate all the money they have spent and spend and we'll send that to a few key people.
On another front, my daughter's friend works for a couple reps at the capitol. Rep Lueck is the vice chair of the outdoor recreation committee. She also does stuff for the majority whip. She says they will both have influence in the process for this bill, and she has their ear. Lueck opposes this bill.
She says many of the reps have a concern and mistrust of the DNR, probably because of Mille Lacs walleye situation. But she said they have received a ton of push back on this bill and it's bothering some. She'll have more for me on Monday
Good info. Keep the push back coming. |
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Posts: 676
Location: Wisconsin | You have to check out this Mark Anderson's Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/StateRepresentativeMarkAnderson/?fref=ts
Real winner that one is. I think he needs to get his own "head in his ass award" for thinking that Muskies are invasive....LOL.
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Posts: 72
| Not being from MN, I knew nothing about Mark Anderson. I checked out his Facebook page and realized I agree with him on nearly every issue other than this musky situation. Hopefully he can be reasoned with, and hopefully all the emails will have some sort of impact. |
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Posts: 897
| The complete lack of civility shown on that page is what I was referring to. A leader behaving in that manner is a big part of the reason this country is as polarized as it is these days. I wasn't commenting on any particular issue, I suspect I would also agree with a lot of his positions. |
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Posts: 72
| Propster, you are spot on. I wasn't offended at all by the posts. He just told it like it was. I appreciate someone that goes totally against the PC crap we are smothered in. |
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Posts: 897
| There's a difference between sharp discourse and the gutter politics of this day and age, which are exemplified by Mr. Anderson's FB page and many, many politicians. I agree the PC movement damaged this country, but acting like a 3rd grader isn't the way forward. I certainly won't be encouraging my children to look to politicians as role models.
Anyway, back to the topic at hand, I think we all agree HF 3207 is a bunch of garbage and emails need to be sent. |
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Posts: 859
Location: MN | Much can be said for ones approach. I would also say many folks can read way to much into things that are posted on the internet vs speaking directly with someone. The Internet is the single best and worst thing to ever happen. |
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Posts: 255
| I agree Nathan Google is good and bad |
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Posts: 32792
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | If you want to discuss politics in general, get thee to the basement. |
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Posts: 20
Location: Park Rapids, MN | Emails sent, for those who haven't yet please do the same! |
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| I requested the comments from Gull lake and went through them, I cant get the file to load but I'm sure the DNR will have a link to it. The total input by phone, letter, email, online and public meeting was 535. Support or no issues with Muskie stocking was 61%, 3 people needed more information, 2 spearers were concerned with closing the lake to spearing but supported it if it did not make a ban; and the rest opposed. I saw reference to a lake survey from a couple years ago from anglers on the water. 41% supported it 29% were undecided and 30% opposed. 327 with no issues or supported stocking 202 opposed 3 need more info
Edited by Muskiefool 3/20/2016 6:00 PM
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